Upgrading commuter wheels - Help!

dabulamanz

Hello, I'd appreciate some advice in terms of getting new wheels. I've got a Specialized Diverge A1 sport with the original wheels and hubs (AXIS Classic Disc, wide). I ride about 250km a week on a commute from South to West London. The route is all road in winter but when it's dry about 30% is on a gravel path. I weigh about 75kg probably and travel with a pannier and rack which probably has 5kg> of stuff usually.

I have done a few thousand kms since April '15 and the hubs are on their last legs but rims don't have any obvious damage. I have a budget of £400 but preferably less, however I want some wheels that can take the commute for at least the next year and appreciate I may need to splash out. I am lost in the sea of options between factory builds, ordering hand-builts, buying parts separately and getting my LBS to put them together or to try and do it myself.

I'd be grateful for anyone's opinion/pointers/suggestions on which options to take. Thanks.

porlyworly

Kinesis Crosslight disc wheelset will set you back £200 - £250 depending on offers etc. and are as good as you will get off the shelf for the money, a quick google will show you lots of positive feedback.

You will also be able to get a very nice set of Handbuilts with your budget, albeit they will come in more expensive than the Kinesis wheels.

The Rookie

The hubs are cup and cone, keeping on top of the TLC and they can last for ages, my Shimano M475 (so as cheap as they come) were bought used and have done over 5000 miles.

gbsahne001

in a similar vein, the Front XT cup and cone that I have for the commuter is on approx 12.5k miles. I might get one last rebuild out of it which will take it up to 15k. Regularly ensuring that the cup / cone adjustment is spot on in combination with stripping it down and rebuilding with new bb & grease will get to this sort of mileage.

The rear wheel from this set unfortunately didn't fare so well and I only got 7.5k out of it.